{"id":62,"date":"2023-01-20T21:20:18","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T21:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/efpope\/?page_id=62"},"modified":"2026-04-16T10:52:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T15:52:44","slug":"projects","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/?page_id=62","title":{"rendered":"Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Developing Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Education for Middle and High School Health Classes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The nutrition environment in middle and high schools can have a profound impact on eating behaviors adolescents develop, as well as weight-based bullying they may experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A weight-inclusive approach to nutrition is associated with improvements in eating behavior, body image, anti-fat bias, and mental health outcomes, therefore it may be important that nutrition content taught and promoted in schools is presented weight inclusively.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We work <em>with<\/em> health educators to enable nutrition education to help students establish peaceful relationships with food and their bodies to prevent the development of disordered eating behaviors and anti-fat bias.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Projects funded by USDA HATCH ARS and the UVM Food Systems Research Institute conducted stake-holder interviews to assess the topics covered and materials used to teach nutrition education in Vermont middle and high school health courses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We then have worked with health teachers to develop a nutrition education curriculum for high schools, that demonstrates a weight-inclusive perspective. We are currently developing a middle school curriculum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We tested the high school curriculum with multiple teachers and their classes to asses efficacy for both teachers and students.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We are currently working to provide continuing education opportunities to health educators to learn more about teaching nutrition and adopting a weight-inclusivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, we are developing a Weight-Inclusive Mindset Scale to measure teachers&#8217; knowledge about weight-inclusive practices, and better tailor professional development to teacher needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Publications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/files\/2026\/02\/Core-Principles.pdf\">Defining the Guiding Principles of Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Education &#8211; Frontiers in Public Health., 2026. Levinson, Gamble, Rose, Garnett, Hinchey, Pope.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/files\/2026\/04\/Ditching-Diet-Talk.pdf\">Ditching Diet Talk: A Qualitative Study of Teachers Implementing Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Curriculum in the High School Health Classroom., 2026. Gamble, Levinson, Hinchey, Russell, Garnett, Pope.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/files\/2026\/03\/Gamble_et_al_2026.pdf\">Weight-inclusive nutrition education in K-12 schools: deconstructing the weight-normative narrative &#8211; Health Education., 2026. Gamble, Levinson, Hinchey, Rose, Garnett, Pope.<\/a><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/files\/2024\/10\/Hinchey_et_al_2024.pdf\">Support for a Weight-Inclusive Curriculum? Exploring Partner Perspectives and Influences on Nutrition Education in Vermont High Schools &#8211; Journal of School Health, 2024. Hinchey, Garnett, Gamble, and Pope<\/a>.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/files\/2025\/01\/Hinchey_et_al_2024_Teachers.pdf\">Exploring Weight Inclusive vs. Weight-Normative Approaches in High School Nutrition Education &#8211; Health Education., 2024. Hinchey, Garnett, Gamble, and Pope.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Resources<br><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/?page_id=294\">Find our curriculum here!<\/a><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/win.w3.uvm.edu\">Find professional development modules to learn more about diet culture, weight &amp; health, and anti-fat bias here!<\/a><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Merging Sports Nutrition with Weight-Inclusive Nutrition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Many athletes report that their disordered eating begins during their involvement with sports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Despite good intentions, coaches can promote disordered views of food and bodies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best practices in sports nutrition suggest particular nutrient targets for before, during, and after activity to promote optimal performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We have interviewed high school coaches to determine whether\/how they talk to their athletes about food\/bodies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most coaches talk about food and bodies with athletes, and would appreciate further support on how best to approach these topics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We are working on developing resources for coaches and athletes from middle school to college that support sports nutrition and positive relationships with food.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our current project funded by the UVM Food Systems Research Institute aims to develop resources for high school athletic coaches to discuss sports nutrition with their athletes in supportive  ways.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br><br><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supporting Vermont Schools to Prevent Eating Disorders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Eating disorder (ED) prevalence in youth has dramatically increased since 2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In rural areas like Vermont, access to ED treatment is often a barrier to receiving care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In 2023, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 56 which encouraged Vermont schools to provide training about EDs to school staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schools have very limited resources to train school staff and enact the model protocol for ED prevention provided in Act 56.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This project funded by USDA ARS HATCH funds will examine how three Community schools in Vermont are approaching eating disorder prevention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Later stages of the project will provide professional development around eating disorders for school staff and assess its effectiveness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The project will also develop an eating disorder literacy tool to help quantify changes in ED literacy in school staff.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br><br><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examining Diet Culture in Media and Popular Culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Media and figures in popular culture often promote ideas around nutrition and health that are rooted in diet culture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is important to understand how consumers of media and fans of popular figures are impacted by dialogue around food, bodies, weight, and health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We examined nutrition or weight-related content on TikTok and found that much of it was weight-normative, presented by non-experts, and promoted the thin ideal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We also studied fans reactions to Taylor Swift&#8217;s disclosures about her own frustrations with conforming to the thin ideal and found that Swift served as a role model for those struggling with disordered eating, yet Swift&#8217;s individual disclosures did not eliminate instances of anti-fat bias and objectification displayed by fans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Publications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0277953624005537\">Pope, L., Rose, K.L. (2024).&nbsp;\u201cIt\u2019s All Just F*cking Impossible:\u201d The Influence of Taylor Swift on Fans\u2019&nbsp;Body Image, Disordered Eating, and Rejection of Diet Culture.&nbsp;<em>Social Science &amp; Medicine<\/em>. In press. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.socscimed.2024.117100.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9624392\/\">Minadeo. M.,&nbsp;Pope, L.&nbsp;(2022). Weight-normative messaging predominates on TikTok \u2013 A qualitative content analysis.&nbsp;<em>PLOS ONE.<\/em>17(11): e0267997. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0267997.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br><br><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Developing Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Education for Middle and High School Health Classes Publications Defining the Guiding Principles of Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Education &#8211; Frontiers in Public Health., 2026. Levinson, Gamble, Rose, Garnett, Hinchey, Pope. Ditching Diet Talk: A Qualitative Study of Teachers Implementing Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Curriculum in the High School Health Classroom., 2026. Gamble, Levinson, Hinchey, Russell, &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/?page_id=62\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Projects&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8569,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-62","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8569"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=62"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":534,"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62\/revisions\/534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/win\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=62"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}